One popular method of processing fresh fish before sale to consumers is the process of filleting. Fillets are typically cut from each side of a whole fish between head and tail and consist principally of solid flesh with the skin attached. Some fish, such as salmon and trout, are particularly well suited for filleting due to their size, shape and underlying bone structure. Fillets can be sold fresh for immediate consumption, or they can be sold frozen for consumption at a later date.
In the case of larger fish, such as salmon, each fillet might typically weigh several pounds—far more than adequate to feed one or two people. When such larger fillets are sold in a frozen condition, people who intend to consume less than the whole fillet at one time are faced with a problem of what to do with the unconsumed portion. Cooking the entire fillet provides substantial leftovers that might not be desired for a while. Cutting a frozen fillet into smaller portions is difficult, and thawing the entire fillet to a point permitting easy cutting involves the undesired consequence of re-freezing a previously frozen fillet.